Never Too Far Gone
by Shirley Lestrade
Summary: It is 1926, and Zarayna Bell is an English witch looking for a place begin anew. She arrives in New York City in early October, certain that here, she can live happily, away from the memories of her deceased lover.
1. A New Beginning

New York City was everything I had imagined it to be - loud, noisy, and full of life. The crowded streets were bordered by giant skyscrapers and filled with pedestrians and vehicles. It was a perfect place to be noticed, yet also a perfect place to go without being noticed. This was the place where I could find the fresh start for which I had searched for a year - I could feel it as soon as I stepped off the ship that had brought me here.

 _Will I be happy here?_ I wondered. _Will I be able to forget?_ Questions intruded my mind as I went through customs, as they always did when I decided to go to a new place.

For the last eleven months, I had traveled in search of a place where I could be free from the memories of my dead lover, but no matter where I went, they wouldn't leave me. In one place I might overhear someone mentioning Hogwarts, the wizarding school we had attended together. In another I might hear something about the Minister, which would remind me that he had once worked for the Ministry of Magic. Still another person might mention a certain beast, reminding me of his quest to find fantastic beasts, after which he would have written a manuscript about them had he not perished just before leaving. No matter where I went, I could not escape him. Perhaps here in America I would finally be able to renounce all affiliations with magic and start anew, living as a Muggle in a Muggle world.


	2. One Month Later

I had just sat down to read a book when there was a knock at the door.

The knock surprised me, as I wasn't expecting anyone. I had only been staying in the apartment for a handful of weeks, and since I had secured a modest job as a librarian I hadn't thought much of meeting the neighbors. _Well_ , I thought, _it can't hurt, can it_?

I opened the door and saw a beautiful woman with short, curly blonde hair. "Hello," she said in a soft, catty voice. "I heard there was a new resident here. I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm Queenie."

"Oh, hello," I replied, slightly stunned. "I'm Zarayna. Most people call me Rayn, though. Would you like to come in?"

"Actually, I was going to invite you over. I'm just across the hall." She motioned to a slightly opened door. "If you're not busy, that is. I don't want to intrude."

Again stunned, I said, "Oh, no you're not intruding at all. Er - would you mind waiting a few moments while I change?" I was in my dressing gown, and of course didn't think it appropriate to go visiting in it, even if it was only across the hallway.

"Not at all," Queenie chimed, apparently surprised that I need ask.

A few minutes later I was in Queenie's kitchen. A wonderful smell pervaded the room. "I'm making strudels," she said. "Would you like one?"

"Yes, please," I said, still astounded at her kindness.

No sooner had I answered had she put one on a plate and set it on the table, as if anticipating my answer. Biting into it, I found that it was perfectly flaky and delicious. "This is wonderful!" I exclaimed. "You made this yourself?"

"It's my own recipe," she responded. "A slight variation from the traditional. Don't ask me what it is though, it's a secret," she added with a wink.

As we worked through our own strudels, we exchanged bouts of small talk, hoping to get to know each other better. She was surprisingly easy to talk to. At first I wasn't very open about myself, but she did not pry for answers - rather, she gave some of her own. I learned that she and her sister had lived on their own since their mother had died, with only each other to look after them. I learned that her passions included fashion and cooking - she designed her own clothes and, as she had hinted before, modified existing recipes to her own tastes or created her own unique recipes. I soon felt as though I had known her for much longer than an hour.

When the conversation seemed to taper off, I stood and said, "Thank you so much, Queenie. You were so kind to me today. It was a true pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, it was nothing. You should come back sometime and meet Tina. On Saturday, perhaps?"

Nodding enthusiastically, I said, "That would be wonderful. I won't be at the library then. Thank you."

Back in my own room, I picked up my book again, but I was far too excited to read it. Everything was going so well. I had a place to live, I had a job, and I had a friend, with the possibility of another in five days. Perhaps I really could be happy here and there was no cause for worry. After all, if you worry you suffer twice.

Little did I know that the excitement wouldn't wait until Saturday to begin.


	3. A New Problem

I was walking home the next day when it happened.

It began as a strange feeling, like an inexplicable anxiety. Soon it intensified. _Am I ill?_ I thought. I hurried to a nearby alley, for if I was to vomit, I did not wish to do it in plain sight of everyone in the crowded street. By the time I reached it, I felt as though some force was trying to claw its way out. It was the most terrifying sense of nausea - if you could call it that - I'd ever felt. _What strange illness is this?_

Then it escaped, and everything went black.

When I returned to consciousness, I was still in the alley, though I was now on my back. I heard voices, though I couldn't make out individual words.

The voices were coming closer. "Miss? Miss, are you okay? Can you hear me, Miss?"

Two faces entered my field of vision. Both seemed to belong to young men. "Miss, can you hear me?" one repeated.

"Give her a chance, Jim, she's just waking up," scolded his companion.

I slowly sat up. Jim placed a hand on my back and applied a gentle pressure, ready to ease me back down should I feel too dizzy. "Who - who are you?" I felt groggy, as though I had just been woken up from a much needed sleep.

"Never mind that, we're here to help you. What happened, Miss?"

It took me a few moments to string together a coherent sentence. "I - I'm not sure. I was walking home when I suddenly felt very ill. Then I suppose I went unconscious, because everything went black. Then I woke up."

"Are you still feeling ill, Miss? Should I walk you home?"

"Jim, she needs a doc! I bet some of that gas from the explosion got to her!"

 _Gas explosion?_ I thought. _What is he talking about?_

"No, you dimwit, if that were true, then we'd be out cold too, we saw it, remember?"

"Well, I still say she needs a doc."

"No!" I snapped. Then, more gently, I said, "No, thank you. I think I will be fine." I wasn't quite feeling like myself, but how would I explain my symptoms? Surely this was like nothing ever seen before. "I believe I can make it home myself."

Jim shook his head. "I can't let you do that, Miss, not in your state. At least allow me to accompany you home, since you are so intent on doing so."

I couldn't deny him that. "Fine. And my name is Rayn, Rayn Bell," I added. His constant use of the word "miss" made me slightly uncomfortable.

Ten minutes later we arrived at the apartment. I thanked Jim and his companion, whose name was Allen. Jim responded, "You are very welcome, Miss Bell. I hope that one day we shall meet again."

No sooner had they left than Queenie came rushing out. She looked panicked. "Rayn, are you all right? I heard about the explosion, and you took so long getting here I thought that you had got caught up in it!"

Her seemingly genuine concern surprised but touched me. "No, I'm all right. I just got held up at the library." I didn't want to worry her with my illness - I hadn't known her for very long, and I also had the unsettling feeling that all was not as it appeared. To keep up the act of ignorance, I said, "What explosion?"

"Thank goodness you're okay. There was a gas explosion just a few blocks from here. At least, they say it was a gas explosion. I'm not so certain, but I also don't know what else it could be. It destroyed the building, there's hardly anything left."

I didn't either, so I didn't think too much on it. "Hmm. Very curious."

I must have sounded uninterested or bored or something, because Queenie said, "What's wrong, Rayn? You sound ... odd."

"Hm? Oh, well, I'm just tired, I had a hard day at the library. We were very busy today. I'm going to turn in early."

"Okay, just let me know if you need anything. Just remember, I'm right across the hall."

"Thank you, Queenie."

Later, I was shocked that I made it up the stairs to my bed unharmed, for I did not lie to Queenie - I was exhausted. I didn't even bother to undress or pull a blanket over me; I simply let myself fall on my bed and fall asleep. Before I slipped into sleep, however, I thought I heard the cry of an occamy. Being as tired as I was, though, I dismissed the thought as fanciful, for what would an occamy be doing in New York City, where I was far, far away from magic?


	4. Return to the Magical World

It was nearly noon when I woke up. _I must have been more tired than I thought._ I felt much better than the previous evening - I felt well rested and there was no trace of my strange illness. I was, however, ravenous. I was about to start making late breakfast when I heard a voice outside the door: "I'm alone, as always."

 _She must be talking to the landlady_ , I thought. The landlady allowed the residents of the apartment to stay under the condition that we brought no men into the apartment, which was partly why I hadn't wanted Jim and Allen following me home the previous day. Finding nothing curious in the words, I returned to my cooking.

It was quite fortunate that I hadn't had to go to the library, or I would have been very late. After my meal, I decided that I would go for a walk - I didn't want to do anything strenuous in case my illness returned.

I wondered around, not really paying attention to where I was going. I ended up at what looked like a frozen lake. An arched bridge went over the narrowest part. I went on it, stopping at the highest point.

It was really quite beautiful. The snow was perfectly white and covered every surface. It looked like a photograph, sparkling with an almost unnatural brilliance.

A strange sound tore me from my thoughts. It was somewhat familiar, but I couldn't figure out why. It sounded as though it were very close.

Then I saw it. To anyone else, it would have looked like some odd rhinoceros, but it was much too big and its horn glowed as though it were made from the embers of a dying fire. I knew it for what it was - an erumpet.

Where had it come from? I knew that erumpets were not native to America, so it must have been brought here. But by whom and why? I thought about the occamy cry I thought I'd heard last night. Was it possible that I was right?

I was so completely stunned by the erumpet's presence that I almost didn't notice the symptoms of my illness return. I was afraid, but I didn't know how to fight it. Just as before, I felt a burst of energy and everything went black.


	5. Happy Again

I noticed a difference in my surroundings as soon as I regained consciousness. Instead of the cold, hard stone of the bridge, I felt warm, thick grass underneath me. There was a soft yellow light coming from somewhere to my left. I could hear leaves rustling in a gentle breeze. It felt slightly humid. _Where am I?_

I opened my eyes. All the colors of the rainbow met in perfect harmony, from the emerald grass and azure sky to the red, orange, and yellow of the blooming flowers and the indigo and emerald of five -

"Occamies," I whispered, astounded. Fragments of their silver shells surrounded them, glittering in the light. So I _had_ heard an occamy! Remembering the erumpet, I wondered, _What other creatures are here in New York?_

I slowly spun, taking in my surroundings. I saw a desert landscape, which was where the light was coming from. Behind me was a dark, wintery area. I was in a forest. All these areas were joined, so that all you had to do to access another was take a short walk. I thought of my lover - he'd once had something like this prepared for all the beasts that he would have been studying, and it was in a magically expanded suitcase. Had the wizard who had prepared this done something similar? For it was quite obvious now that I was very deep in a very magical situation. So much for trying to escape from magic.

"Oh, you're awake," said a voice from behind me.

Startled, I turned to see who had spoken. It was a rather chubby man. He had dark, wavy hair and a well-trimmed mustache. His suit may have seen better days, but he appeared to be one who cared about his appearance. "Who are you?" I asked.

Before he could answer, another voice called, "Jacob? Where've you gone off to?"

My heart leapt, then double its normal pace. I knew that voice! But how could it be his?

"The girl's awake, we were just chatting," replied Jacob.

Then I saw him. He was saying, "Oh, good. Now we can check on the thunder-"

"Newt!" I interrupted with a joyful shriek. I ran to him, squeezing him in a tight embrace. "Oh, Newt! You're okay! Where have you been, darling? Why didn't you ever write to me?" I was sobbing now, I was so happy. Yet I was also so confused. How was he alive?

Newt also appeared confused, but he also seemed amused at my affections - I had started kissing his cheeks, forehead, mouth, everywhere I could. "Rayn, what are you talking about?" he chuckled. "I told you where I was going. And I _have_ been writing to you, at least once a week."

"John told me you were dead. I haven't gotten any letters, either." This struck me as odd. Why wouldn't I have gotten any of Newt's letters if he had been sending them?

Newt's face became serious. "When did he tell you that?"

"Last November. He said that you'd died trying to capture a thunderbird to take to Arizona."

Newt shook his head. "That expedition was successful, and I told him so. That was in one of the first letters I tried to send to you. It seems strange that you wouldn't have received any of them. It is disturbing that John told you that I died, as well."

That it was. John had been a close friend to Newt for years. I didn't know him as well as Newt, but we had all been in Hufflepuff together, so I still knew him well enough to call him my friend. Then an even more disturbing thought came to me - had John been intercepting Newt's letters to me? What reason could he possibly have for doing any of this?

Newt touched his hand to my face. "Zarayna," he sighed. "I am so sorry that he did this to you. This last year must have been so hard for you."

I returned the touch. "It's been heartbreaking. I roamed the country before I finally decided to come to America to escape all memories of you. And by some coincidence you caught up."

"Nothing is ever coincidence, especially where love is concerned." He kissed me lightly on the lips, lingering for a handful of seconds.

Just as he was pulling away, I heard a noise like a knock. "What's that?"

"Not sure. Tina probably found the case and is just making sure it's us. I'll go up with Jacob and check. You stay here, I'll come back for you."

"At least let me walk with you."

He did. I followed him to the ladder that led out of the case, then watched them ascend. When they had climbed out, I heard an authoritative voice say, "Well, Miss Goldstein, who are they?"


	6. Revelation

**_AN: This chapter is longer than any of my others, but I had a lot to say in this one, I hope you don't mind. Enjoy!_**

 _This doesn't sound good_ , was my first thought.

My second though was, _Goldstein? That's Queenie's last name! That must be her sister Tina!_

She was saying, "This is Mr. Scamander. Yesterday, several beasts from his case escaped and are now running amuck around the city."

"Yesterday?" said the first voice. "And you only see fit to notify us about this now?"

"I tried, but -"

"The No-Maj mayor's son was killed by what we believe to be an Obscurus not long ago. This could have been prevented had we known about the situation beforehand. We cannot allow this to continue. This is the second time that you have failed MACUSA, Miss Goldstein. I shall have to pull a team together to take care of the beasts. Take them away to Graves, he will decide their punishment."

"The No-Maj as well?" asked a different voice.

"Yes, all of them - Mr. Scamander, the No-Maj, and Miss Goldstein."

" _What_? Why?" cried Tina.

"You are every bit as guilty as Mr. Scamander, Miss Goldstein. You have run out of opportunities to prove yourself useful to MACUSA; you're latest failure is unforgivable. You must be punished more severely. Take them away."

Newt began to plead with the woman. "Wait, you can't do this!"

"I can, and I will."

I heard the sound of shuffling feet as a small group of people - perhaps three or four - approached Newt, Tina, and Jacob to take them to this person called Graves. Newt began to shout, "Please, just don't hurt the animals, they're not dangerous! Please, leave them alone, they're not dangerous! Don't hurt them, please!"

I had to do something. Suddenly enraged, I climbed the ladder out of the case. Newt and the others had already been dragged out of the room, so I was left alone facing the large group of congress members. "Wait! Don't take them!"

"Who might you be, and why should we listen to you?" asked the woman who had been speaking with Tina. From the way she was dressed, she was quite obviously the one in charge.

I was certain that the correct word was "president", but I asked just to be sure. "How should I address you?"

The question seemed to take her aback, but she quickly hid her initial surprise. "Madam President will suffice," she replied imperially.

"My name is Zarayna Bell, Madam President. I would speak, with your permission." When she nodded, I continued, "I beg you to reconsider your decision. I know Newt quite well. He is more than capable of recapturing his beasts, and as he said, none of them are very dangerous unless provoked. He's a mazoologist, you see."

"In that case, he should know how to properly control his animals," retorted the president. "We cannot have them roaming the city; the No-Majs will surely notice, if they haven't already. There is already the possibility of an Oculus to contend with, so we cannot have the added difficulty of an incompetent mazoologist and his wild beasts."

"Newt is _not_ incompetent!" I argued, already forgetting my manners.

The president stiffened as she attempted to hide her anger at my outburst. "Be that as it may, it does not change the fact that his beasts are out and about. I'm assuming that you knew about this?"

Regaining my composure, I said, "No, Madam President. I only just learned of it a few moments ago."

She stared at me, as though trying to decide whether or not to believe me. She must have decided not to, for she said, "Send her to Graves. He'll decide what to do with her."

I wasn't sure what to feel or think. I didn't know what the penalty was for our actions, but at least I would not be separated from Newt. Or would I? Would he suffer another fate? I put it out of my mind. After all, if you worry, you suffer twice. I allowed myself to be led to this person called Graves. Perhaps I would have better luck convincing him - or her, as the case might be.

When we reached his office, I saw that he was the only one in it. Despite Newt's - and my - motto about worrying, I worried. Where was Newt? What punishment had he given him?

"One more for you, Mr. Graves," said one of the people who had led me here. "She was an accomplice of Mr. Scamander."

"An accomplice, hmm? Well, then, that's deserving of the same punishment as him - execution."

" _What_?" I blurted, unable to contain my shock.

"You heard me correctly, I believe. Off with you, now."

I was so shocked that I could not speak. Come on, say something! I thought. But I didn't. I allowed myself to be led to a prison cell. I saw Newt, Jacob, and Tina together in one cell. "Zarayna!" Newt called when he saw me. "Zarayna, what happened, why are you here?"

"Same as you are, Mr. Scamander. We can't have any more of you endangering our exposure to the No-Majs," replied one of my escorts as he shoved me into the cell, then left without another word.

Newt took my hands in his. "Zarayna, what did you do?" he half-whispered.

I felt ashamed. "I - tried to talk the president out of punishing you. But I couldn't. She thought I was responsible for the beasts, too, so she sent me to Graves. He has sentenced me to execution."

Newt stared in disbelief. "They can't do this to you, you had absolutely nothing to do with it! Rayn, you must escape!"

"How?" said Tina. "The cell doors are enchanted to resist any and all spells that might be used on it to escape, especially Alohamora. Believe me, I was an Auror for MACUSA, I should know."

"What exactly is MACUSA?" I asked.

"It's an acronym. It stands for the Magical Congress of the United States of America," said Tina.

"The American Ministry of Magic, basically," added Newt. "But what about Diffindo? That would work, you could just cut through it, Zarayna!"

"Newt," I said, "if Tina says it won't work, then I think I believe her. I'm sure they thought of that when they enchanted the doors. Besides, how can you even suggest that I leave you? I've spent the last year thinking you were dead, and that was painful enough. I would never be able to stand it _knowing_ that you're dead! Don't you remember our song?"

There was a song that Newt often sang to me when our relationship become more of a romantic one. It was a composition of his own. It was short, with simple lyrics and a simple tune. The song was:

 _I'll always love you_

 _I'll never leave you_

 _I'll always be in your heart,_

 _And you in mine._

Every day he had proved those words to be true, but now he was asking me to do something which I could not.

I could tell that my question stung him. "Of course I do. How could I forget?"

"Then how can you ask my to leave you? Besides, even if I wanted to, I couldn't. My wand is long gone."

Newt gave me a quizzical look. "Gone? How?"

"I tossed it. Broke it in half and burned it. After John told me you died, I wanted nothing more to do with magic, so I've been living like a Muggle ever since."

"So . . . you haven't use any magic at all for a whole year?" It was more a statement than a question.

"None at all. Why? Is that so odd, after knowing how distraught I was?"

A heartbeat passed before he said, "No. I was just . . . surprised."

I didn't fully believe him; I had the feeling that there was something that he wasn't telling me. That he was surprised I could believe; that it was the only reason for probing, I could not. I let it drop, though.

A minute or so passed before Tina broke the silence. "Could it be true, Newt? What the president said about the Obscurus? There hasn't been one in centuries, at least not in America."

Newt appeared uncomfortable with this turn in the conversation. "It is certainly possible."

"What's an Obscurus?" said Jacob and I together.

This was exactly what Newt had been trying to avoid. His reaction was so strong that it was undeniable. His expression was one of horror, and though he made a noble attempt at trying to hide it, I knew that the question had been the one that he had been dreading to be asked.

He did answer it, though. He began slowly, but sped up as he went on, obviously eager to end the conversation as soon as possible. "An Obscurus is created when someone, usually a child, tries to suppress his or her magic, mainly due to persecution. Many countries, as I'm sure you know, are still living very much in fear of magic, so witches and wizards are unwelcome. The unused energy builds up inside the host's body until it is too much for the body to hold. Very few, if any, are able to control when the Obscurus breaks loose. It drains on the life forces of its host until the host body dies. The child usually will not live past ten."

This new information was interesting. I suddenly remembered the so called gas explosion from the previous day. Could that have been cause by the Obscurus? "What does an Obscurus look like?" I wondered if I had seen it.

"Well, I have heard some say that it looks like a black wind. I . . . have seen one, and I can say that that is probably the best way of describing what it looks like."

I hadn't seen it, then. Then I gasped involuntarily. Yesterday, my "illness" had come upon me just before the "gas explosion". And earlier today, it had come again just before the mayor's son was killed by an Obscurus. Hadn't I been trying to suppress my magic for the last year? I understood why Newt had been dreading this question, why he had wondered at the fact that I hadn't used magic in so long.

"I'm the Obscurus," I whispered.


	7. How to Escape?

I couldn't believe it. The thought that I was an Obscurus terrified me. What if, in these last moments before we were executed, I was the one to kill Newt? Now that I knew the cause of my symptoms, would I be able to control the Obscurus? It had already killed one man. Would it kill another?

Something of my fear must have shown, for Newt said, "It's okay, Zarayna, don't worry. It can be controlled. You -"

"Don't worry?" I nearly screamed. "You're not the one with a - a monster inside you! Yes, if you worry, you suffer twice, but other people have already suffered because of me!"

"Does it matter?" demanded Tina. "In case you've forgotten, we're about to be killed, anyway."

"Maybe not," Newt answered, "but maybe so. Listen, Rayn, it can be controlled, and . . . there's a possibility that it can even be eliminated."

"Whatever you have to say, Scamander, make it quick," said Tina. "We don't have long."

She was right. I could hear footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Newt took heed. Hurriedly, he said, "If you use magic, then the excess energy that makes up the Obscurus may go into whatever spell you use."

"But I don't have my wand!"

"You can use mine. It may not work as well as your own, but it should do."

"How do you know this will even work?"

Newt paused. "I don't. It's just a theory, really. But it's worth a try, isn't it?"

"Things are only worth attempting when there is a chance of success, and for you, there is none."

We all turned to face the speaker. She had dark hair and skin and was wearing a white robe, as were the two others who were with her. "Confiscate their wands, and take the No-Maj the Obliviators."

"No!" I protested.

"Hand over your wand, girl," ordered an executioner.

"I don't have one. You can search me all you want, you won't find one."

She took me up on my word. Upon finding nothing, she proceeded to cuff my hands together. To all of us she said, "Come with us."

I started fighting back, but then I noticed that Newt was making no attempts to do so. Did he have plan? Or had he truly resigned to his fate? I was certain that it was the former.

Heart pounding in my chest, I allowed myself to be led through monotonously white hallways. Finally, one of the few doors I'd seen were opened and we entered the room behind it.

Dominating the room was a pool of a reflective, silvery liquid. I had no idea what this was, but from Tina's reaction she did; I heard her draw a sharp intake of breath, and when I saw her expression, it was one of great fear. She began to fight, but an executioner restrained her. Then she raised her wand to Tina's temple. As she pulled it away, a thin, silvery strand slithered out. I knew that she was extracting a memory. Tina seemed to relax after the memory was taken. The memory strand was put in the silver pool. The executioner led Tina to it. What memory was she seeing? "You want to get in, don't you, honey?" crooned the executioner. Tina nodded vaguely, a sleepy smile on her face. Whatever the memory was, it must have been a good one.

 _She's luring her into that stuff!_ I realized, revolted. With my hands cuffed, however, there was little I could do. Unless -

"Newt," I whispered, "you said that it could be controlled?"

"Yes. What are you thinking, Zarayna?" There was suspicion in his voice.

"Quiet!" barked an executioner.

"You'll see," I said to Newt. Before he could protest, I tried calling upon the Obscurus. I wasn't really sure how to do it, but no sooner had I formed the thought than I felt the power fill me at an alarmingly fast rate. _Wait, no!_ I thought.

Too late. I was already the Obscurus.

But my last minute will had stayed the formless power, preventing it from simply destroying everything. Amazingly, I found that I still retained my own thoughts. _This is weird._

For the executioners, it was frightening. They just stared at me, completely speechless. I allowed myself to enjoy their frozen expressions for a few moments, then willed the Obscurus toward them.

It was over in a matter of seconds. At first I thought that I hadn't done anything - there had been no screams or any other sounds to indicate that anything had happened. Then I saw their motionless, lifeless bodies on the floor and I knew that I had killed them.

Tina was still gazing dreamily into the pool. "Tina!" cried Newt. "Tina, stop!"

Upon hearing her name, Tina blinked and shook her head slightly, as though clearing her mind. She glanced down, evidently surprised to be at the edge of the pool. She promptly backed away from it. As she did, she tripped over the body of one of the executioners and fell into Newt's outstretched arms, as he had instinctively reached out to catch her.

As I reformed, I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy at the sight. I knew that there had been nothing romantic in the gesture, that he had only done it out of friendly concern, but I felt the jealousy all the same.

I tried to direct my thoughts elsewhere. "How did you get your hands free?" I asked Newt.

"Pickett," he replied. Pickett was the name of his pet bowtruckle who was always hiding in his coat pocket.

Then the door flew open, and Queenie was there, carrying Newt's case. She set it down and opened it. "Get in!" she hissed. "I'm getting you out of here."

"Where's Jacob? Have you found him?" asked Newt.

"He's already in. Hurry!"

We did. On Newt's insistence, Tina and I got in first, and he followed.

Jacob was pacing around the occamy nest when we saw him. Hearing us come down, he looked up. "Oh, good, Queenie made it! I was getting worried. Can't tell what's going on from in here."

"She may not have made in time had Zarayna not taken things into her own hands. She was quite brilliant."

I blushed, glad that he thought that my idea had been brilliant. Of course, it could have turned out much differently, but it hadn't.

"So what happened?" wondered Jacob.

Tina and I left the explaining to Newt. He didn't seem to mind. When he had finished, Jacob commented, "I think that I am glad I'm not a wizard. This much excitement all the time might be a bit much for me."

"Oh, don't worry," assured Newt. "Not all wizards have this much excitement. I am a mazoologist, after all."


	8. Making Decisions

I was nervous the entire time we were in the case. Jacob was right - there was absolutely no way for us to know what was going on outside the case. For all we knew, we could be falling from the top of a skyscraper. We could only hope that no one was suspicious of Queenie and took the case.

It felt like house later when we saw Queenie come into the occamies' habitat. "It's safe," she said. "We're in the apartment."

When we had all climbed out, Queenie said, "Are you angry with me, Rayn?"

"For what?" What reason could I possibly have for being angry with her?

"For not telling you that I'm a witch."

I thought about it. If she had told me, then I would have wanted to get as far away from her as possible. Had I done that, I doubt that I would have been reunited with Newt. For this reason, I said, "No. I'm quite happy you didn't, actually."

She seemed relieved. "Good, I'm glad, although I suspected as much. I just thought I'd ask to be sure."

"What do you mean, you suspected as much?"

"People are easiest to read when they're hurting, and you were hurting a great deal. I sense that was because of magic, but dared not search for more information."

It took a few moments for me to understand. "You mean . . . you're a Legilimens? So you knew about Newt?" How long had he been here?

Queenie kept calm. "I told you, I didn't search for the cause of your pain. I only found enough to know that you were a witch trying to live as a No-Maj. And he's only been here since this morning."

 _I should really practice Occlumency._ I felt guilty. "So . . . I suppose you know the real reason why I was so late yesterday?"

"I thought that maybe you were hiding something, but I didn't pry because I knew that you would talk when you were ready. Why _did_ you come back so late?"

I told her, and continued to explain what had happened earlier in the day that had led to our near execution.

Queenie was as shocked as I was. "I knew that it wasn't what it seemed, but I never thought . . . an Obscurus!"

A heavy silence pervaded the room as we all contemplated what had happened. Saying it aloud put a new weight on the situation. Just hours ago, I had left this building with the intent of taking a relaxing, magic-free walk, and I had returned after - through magic - having killed three people and nearly being killed myself. I buried my face in Newt's chest, seeking the comfort that only came when he wrapped his arms around me. I didn't cry, but I definitely felt like it. Newt said nothing, either, only gently embraced me until I pulled away, thanking him with my eyes and a smile.

"So what do we do now?" Tina asked.

"We get his creatures back, obviously," I said. "Before MACUSA does."

"It's a bit late, isn't it?" chimed Jacob.

He was right - it was just after five in the evening. But I knew that Newt would never rest until all of his creatures were safe. "Yes," I agreed, "but we need to find them. Remember, MACUSA is also intent on capturing them. We can't risk them finding them first."

"I think I know where the niffler is, and Dougle can be predictable. It's the occamy I may have trouble finding and recapturing. It'll require a group effort."

"Great," I said. "Let's get started."


	9. Discovered

Newt gently set the occamy in the nest. The others were noisy; I assumed that they were excited at the return of a member of their kin. The look of joy on Newt's face lit the room - he was practically glowing at the fact that we had been able to rescue all of his animals. It was contagious.

"So," I said. "What now?" I leaned in close to him, pecking him on the cheek.

"Well, I suppose it's on to Arizona."

"You're not going to leave us are you, Mr Scamander?" wondered Jacob. "Why don't you stay a while?"

"Yes," agreed Queenie. "At least another night."

Newt grinned. "I couldn't have you getting in trouble for my sake. I wasn't supposed to be in New York long, anyway."

"Well, we do need rest for tonight," I reminded him. "We've had a long day. If all else fails, we can stay in the case."

Newt chuckled. "Well, if you're all going to insist. I might as well."

We all climbed out of the case, Newt and me first. Queenie was just climbing out when a voice shouted, "Stop right there, all of you!"

We spun around. Behind us was a large group of witches and wizards. Graves was among them. He said, "We know the girl is an Obscurus, Goldstein."

My heart sped up. How could they know?

Graves continued speaking, "I try not to make it widely known that I'm quite an accomplished Legilimens, so I was able to get the information from you, of course. I also knew that you had yet to discover that she was the Obscurus, but the clues were there in her mind for me to put together. So tell me, Mr Scamander and our Goldstein sisters, how long did you think that you could hide this from us? Not only have you now evaded your execution, but you are guilty of withholding valuable information and being an accomplice of the criminal!"

"Zarayna is not a criminal!" Newt shouted.

Graves laughed. "Well, she _has_ killed four people. And from what I understand, three of those four murders were quite intentional. Hand her over, and the rest of you can go."

"You can't take her! You - you don't understand, you don't have to do this! If you're a Legilimens, then you should know how she became the Obscurus."

"Why does it matter? She's a threat, and she must be stopped."

"But she can control it! And she has no reason to withhold her magic any longer."

"He's right," said a new voice. "She doesn't."

And then I saw him. He stepped out of a dark corner, slowly revealing himself. I immediately recognized him. "John?"

"Hello, Zarayna." And he raised his wand to me.


	10. Final Confrontation

"John, no! What are you doing?" cried Newt.

"Something I should have done a long time ago, Newt. I should have known that one day you two would find each other again. It seems that I shall have to kill the two of you to keep you out of my way."

I was shocked. "But why would you do this? You lied to me!"

John laughed. "Of course I did! I knew how the news of Newt's death would affect you. Anyone with two eyes and ears could tell how much you loved each other, so it fell to my reasoning that you would do exactly what you did - leave the magical world behind you completely. That took care of you; Newt was away on his ridiculous journey, so he wouldn't be bothering me, either."

"John, be reasonable. What could we possibly been in the way of? You had no reason to do this!"

"Oh, Newt, you should know me better than that. I never do anything without a reason. Have you heard of the Three Hallows?"

"What? Of course I have! But surely you don't believe those exist outside of a children's bedtime story?"

John smiled. "See, Newt, that is where you and I differ. I _know_ they exist, that they are three very real objects that, together, will grant power over death."

 _He's mad_ , I realized. _Completely insane._ "But that still doesn't explain why you tried to separate us!"

John was patient. "Dumbledore was always trying to brainwash is students into thinking the most ridiculous fantasies, one of which is that Gridelwald was a powerful wizard to be feared. While I will agree that he is a great wizard, he isn't to be feared - I _admire_ him! Oh, Newt, we've nearly found it!

"What are you on about? Stop talking nonsense, John." Newt raised his wand to John. "You don't mean to say . . . that you're in _league_ with him?"

"And why shouldn't I be? Together, we can be masters of death!"

Graves stepped forward at this point. "Unfortunately for you, though, John, there can only be one master of death, and it won't be you."

John's confidence seemed to wane. "Wh-what? But you said -"

"Yes, I know what I said. But _you_ said that they wouldn't interfere."

"Well, yes, but obviously there was a bit of a misunderstanding . . ." John was definitely nervous - if that was a strong enough word - about this change in events.

A strange look appeared on Newt's face. Before I could say anything, he directed a nonverbal spell at Graves.

To my amazement, Graves' hair paled, his head widened slightly, and a sparse mustache appeared. "Grindelwald?" I said. "You're Grindelwald?"

I wasn't the only one who was stunned. The MACUSA witches and wizards - including the president - were speechless. The president was the first to regain control. "Seize him!" she ordered.

Grindelwald chuckled. "You think you can hold me?" No one answered him.

"Wait!" John called. "What about me?"

"Yes," Newt said. "What about you? What should we do with you? It seems like you've been disappointed. It happens when you put your trust in the wrong people - as I seem to have done." He kept his wand trained on John.

"You're right about that. So I suppose this is it, then? We go our separate ways?"

"Not before you've done your time," said the president. "You're no more innocent than Gridelwald."

As a group of people approached him, John said, "Hey, wait, I didn't do anything, he's the one doing the terrorizing, you can't take me!" His pleas went nowhere; they continued to drag him away. Would he face execution? I found that I didn't care. He had caused my year-long suffering, so I had no room for pity for him.

"Well," said Newt. "I think that went quite well. Frankly, I was expecting him to duel, but he talked himself into a space in a prison cell."

"Don't feel dwell on it, dear," said Queenie. "It's not worth it."

"She's right," I said. "He doesn't deserve it." I touched my hand to his cheek. I knew that it would bother him no matter what we said, but I hoped to comfort him nonetheless.

He smiled. I knew that he understood my intentions. "Well," he said. "What you say to a good night's rest?"


	11. Epilogue

A year after Newt and I returned from America, we were married. A year after that, our son was born. We named him after Newt. Like his father, little Newt had a fascination for animals and, when he got older, often helped care for all of the animals that Newt cared for in years to come. Also like his father, he later became an accomplished mazooligist.

We visited Queenie and Tina on occasion. They were ecstatic to meet little Newt. On one visit, Queenie gave us some adorable clothes for him that she had designed herself. She refused payment for them, saying that they were gifts. They were a bit large, but he would grow into them.

Our time together was a happy one. Newt and I would visit Dumbledore as well. Dumbledore remembered us fondly and frequently would tell us what a joy little Newt was to have in the school. He favored the company of animals over people, but that didn't stop him from making a few human friends.

We never saw John again. Where he went we never found out. We discovered years later that Grindelwald had escaped, so we assumed that John had as well, either by himself or with Grindelwald's aid, but we had no way of knowing for sure. We were glad to hear of his defeat by Dumbledore, if only because the general fear of the wizard died down. It wasn't until years after that that another wizard took his place as a feared dark wizard, but that is another story. 

_**AN: Thank you all for reading. Thank you especially to those who followed and favorited this story; your interest is greatly valued.**_


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